I have no clue how long this drink has been around, but I'm guessing it is contemporary with the rise of Mezcal sometime around/after the year 2000. I've seen it on cocktail menus a time or two, and have made it at home a few times as well. Of note: You'll want a slightly higher grade of Mezcal for this than the lacquer-thinner tainted cactus juice of yore whose renown is wholly due to the dead agave worm resting comfortably in the bottom of the bottle. Blechh. Referencing the recipe in [Part I](https://poal.co/s/cocktails/725925), this drink is a clone of the Last Word - swapping out the gin and substituting Mezcal. But what of the Chartreuse? If you're serving up cactus juice, seems like a party foul to use scarce, imported French herbal elixir with 130 botanical notes just to blend it with dead worm bath water. As my bottle is running low and I use it quasi-regularly, I researched substitutes earlier this year. A couple articles referenced Centerbe favorably, so I procured a bottle. It is a close substitute, and I recommend it if you're unable to find the real thing. Base recipe [here](https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/9733/last-of-the-oaxacans ) - though there's really no need if you've made a Last Word. Ingredients 3/4 oz Mezcal (Wahaka) 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse (I substituted [Centerbe](https://pic8.co/sh/7nbFCB.jpg)) 3/4 oz Maraschino liqueur (Luxardo) 3/4 oz fresh lime juice Lime wedge and/or cherry for garnish Instructions Add liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker 2/3rds full of ice, shake vigorously, strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass, place garnish item(s) on a pick and add to the drink. After my garnish punting last time, I went full-bore. This is not as polished as a Last Word, but drinks fairly well. The slight smokieness of the Mezcal combined with the less sweet Centerbe makes this more on the dry side, and the cherries add interesting pops of sweet contrast. It's a decent drink and if you want to play around with percentages/proportions, you could easily elevate it. It is also boozy - another in the "one and done before dinner" category. 4.0/5 Ducks - a decent sipper that makes it into the rotation once or twice a year. ~~~~ The Centerbe (literally translates as 100 herbs) appears to be produced/marketed domestically out of Brooklyn, New York, and should be available without searching too far and wide. If you're interested in more info on how it compares to Chartreuse, message me and I'll send you my thoughts. Stay tuned for Part III - where we take this drink slumming in Chicago...